Candy-machine.



l PATENTED MAY 2, 1905,

AQ J. MGFANN.

CANDY MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED PEB.25. 1905.

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Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. MCFANN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

CANDY-wlAol-IINE..`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,842, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed Februaryz, 1905. Serial No. 247,222.

` To alt whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. MGFANN, of Toledo, county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Candy-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference Vbeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecilication.

This invention relates to improvements in candy-machines employing a rotatable perforated head adapted to receive a quantity of sugar, which upon being' melted by the application of heat is discharged by centrifugal action, forming a product having' the appearance of ordinary cotton.

The leadingobject of' my invention is to provide simple, inexpensive, and easily-operated means for supplying sugar in uniform and regulated quantity to the head of a machine of the character herein described. In the operation of these machines where a spoon, hand-scoop, or similar utensil is employed to feed sugar to the rotatable head a considerable portion of the operators time is taken up for this purpose, the feeding' operations succeeding each other at short intervals. It is to be understood that for the efficient operation of' machines of this character a small quantity of sugar only, capable of being immediately melted, should be supplied to the head. A larger quantity absorbs the heat supplied to the head and checks the formation of the silklike filaments. On the other hand, should the quantity of sugar supplied be insufficient the same will be carbonized by the heat and the efficiency of the machine destroyed. By the construction herein shown the feeding of the sugar to the head of' the machine is regular and continuous, resulting in a more uniform product.

A further object is to improve the detail construction of the rotatable head to insure the accurate balancing' of the rotating parts and to eliminate the usual tendency to vibrate While operating at high speed.

vset 5.

parallel to the body 1.

In carrying out my invention I employ the novel combination, arrangement, and details of construction hereinafter shown, described, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a candy-machine embodying my improvement. Fig. l2 is a sectional elevation of the rotatable head, showing the construction for accurately centering the hollow cap upon the body of the head. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body of the head, showing the marginal shoulder thereon, the cap being' removed.

Referring to the details of construction, the rotatable head of the machine comprises a circular disk-shaped body 1 and a hollow cap 2, mounted thereon. The body 1 is provided with a downWardly-extending flange 3, adapted to confine the liame directed by the gasburner 4: against its lower face, and the same is provided with a marginal shoulder or olf- The head is secured at the upper end of a spindle 6, suitably mounted in bearings 7 and 8, and the same has a pulley 9 secured thereon to permit the head to be rapidly rotated by means of a belt 10, connecting with a suitable motor.

The cap 2 comprises the hollow cylindrical portion 11, having' the inwardly-extending' liange 12 to confine the` sugar when deposited therein, and the base 13, expanded in a plane Base 13 is provided at its outer marginnvith a {iange 14, adapted to occupy the shouldered offset 5 upon the body 1. This flange is radially slotted at short intervals, as at 15, and the same is of a depth to cause the lower face of the cap to be slightly elevated above the top face of the body 1, thereby providing a passage for melted sugar connecting with the radial slots in the fiange. he cap and the body of the head are secured together in the relation shown in Fig. 2 by means of screws 15', passed through perforations in the cap and engaging threaded perfovrations 16 in the body.

17 is a pan or receptacle provided with the inner raised wall 18, immediately surrounding the burner, and the outerwall19, adapted to receive the filaments discharged from the head. The pan is supported upon suitable brackets '20.

2l is a cone-shaped hopper supported above the rotatable head, the same being provided with an opening at its pointed end, through which the sugar deposited into the lhopper is discharged.

22 is a cone-shaped plug adapted to seat upon the margins of the opening at the lower end of the hopper, the same having a free swingingmovement, being carried at the lower end of a stem 23, pivoted at the inner end of lever 24:. Lever 24: is fulcrumed between its ends upon a bar extending across the open mouth of the hopper, and 'the same is bifurcated at Iits outer end 25 to be engaged by a thumb-nut 26, operating upon a screw-threaded stem 27, pivoted to a linger-piece 28, secured at the margin of the hopper. Lever 24 l-is actuated by a spring 29, so that when released the plug 22 will be voperated to close the discharge-orifice at the lower end of the 'hopper and stop the `flow of sugar into the head.

n operating fthe machine 3the -lever Q4 is raised manually and the thumb-nut 26 is made to .engage the bifurcated Vend of vthe lever, as indicated in Fig. l, the sugar being supplied to the head =in properly-regulated quantity by Vadjusting the Ithumb-nut. The flow of sugar may be instantly stopped by disengaging the thumb-nut from the end ot' the lever. The

preferred means for su pporting the `feed-hopper above the head v'comprise/a jointed angular arm 30, provided with the sleeve-joint 31 and secured at one end at 32 to the receptacle 17 and at the other end at 33 to the hopper. By this constructionthe'hopper may be swung in a horizontal plane upon the joint 3l as a pivot, Yand the same is quickly removed out of the way of the operator when the product of the machine lis to be taken from the receptacle 17.

It is apparent that other means than those shown may be employed for supporting the hopper above the head, and I do not, therefore, restrict my invention to the construction illustrated.

From the foregoing description the novelty, utility, and improved operation of my invention wil-l be apparent.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent,

In a candy-machine, a rotatable, perforated head, a heater, a cone-shaped feed-hopper supported above the lhead, having a dischargeorifice, a cone-shaped plug adapted to seat upon the margins of said orice, a springpressed lever mounted upon the hopper for operating said plug, said lever having a bifurcated end, and adjusting means engaging said bifurcated end adapted to adjust said plug relative to its seat,` substantially as described.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW J. MGFANN. Witnesses:

CARL H. KELLER, lCHARLES VILLIAMS. 

